Chapter Twenty
She took a cab straight to Virginia’s brownstone. She had never been so furious with her aunt. She tried to control her anger, but it threatened to overwhelm her. Every time she felt herself begin to relax, she thought of Erich and his bruised face. The fury inside her simmered even hotter.
This wasn’t the first time her aunt had disapproved of someone she was dating, but it was the first time she’d tried to harm one of Laura’s boyfriends. They’d argued about it in the past, and when Laura was younger Virginia sometimes got her way. But that hadn’t happened in a long time. And it wasn’t about to start. Laura intended to keep seeing Erich whether Virginia liked it or not.
The cab pulled up in front of the brownstone and she paid the driver, then stepped out onto West 77th Street and climbed her aunt’s cement steps. Just before she tried the door, she heard the wail of an ambulance siren. It reminded her of how frightened she’d been on the way to the hospital earlier that night.
Laura stormed into the brownstone without knocking. A light was glowing in the kitchen, and the teakettle had just started to whistle. She barged into the room and glared at her aunt.
Virginia spun around to face her, her beautiful face twisted with a combination of welcome and concern. “Do you have news about Todd? Have the police—?” She held out her arms, but Laura didn’t move into them as she usually did. “What have you been doing?” she asked. “My goodness! You look exhausted.”
“Exhausted? Yes, I suppose I am.”
“I know what will help. I bought a new blend of cinnamon tea yesterday that tastes just like the one your mother liked so much. Would you like a cup?”
Laura stood without moving. “Three men beat Erich up tonight. You’re responsible, aren’t you?”
“That reporter?” Virginia turned and took two mugs from the cabinet, then looked back at Laura. “You do know how to attract good-looking men, Laura. But looks aren’t everything.” She lifted her chin a little higher. “I don’t approve.”
“He’s in LennoxHillHospital in so much pain he can barely talk. He told me he recognized one of the men because he’d been with you when Erich saw you the other night. Is that true?”
“Is what true? And why would you think I had anything to do with what happened?”
Laura’s anger reached the boiling point. “Don’t take me for a fool. I’m talking about whether you saw Erich.”
“He wanted to confront me.”
“He told me you threatened to teach him a lesson if he kept seeing me.” Laura’s lips curled into a mocking half smile. “What happened to him tonight is a bit too much of a coincidence, don’t you think?”
Virginia turned away and picked up the tea kettle, pouring tea into two mugs. “How do I know how many enemies he’s made? He’s a ruthless reporter who doesn’t care who he hurts with his lies. Many people may be out to get him.”
“That’s a lie. He’s a well-respected journalist.”
Virginia set the tea kettle down and focused hard on her niece. “Laura, you know I’d never do anything to hurt you or anyone you care about. And I’d have to be blind not to see that you care about this man.”
Laura shook her head. “There are two inescapable facts.” She lifted one finger. “First of all, Erich was beaten up tonight by a guy Erich saw with you.” A second finger joined the first. “Second, you had threatened him. Why shouldn’t I believe you’re responsible? It makes perfect sense to me.”
“I’m telling you I didn’t. I’ve never lied to you.”
“Neither has Erich.”
“You haven’t known him that long.”
Laura’s green eyes softened. “That doesn’t matter. I feel like I’ve always known him.”
“I’ve always been there for you. I’d never do anything to hurt you,” Virginia said irritably. She sat and sipped her tea. “I don’t trust him, Laura. He could be using you to further his career.”
“He isn’t.”
“How can you be so sure? You’re too trusting.”
“Don’t change the subject. You haven’t answered my question about Erich yet.”
Virginia gave a half snort. “I’ve disapproved of some of your other boyfriends and never harmed any of them. Why should things be different now?”
“It is different this time because I love Erich. Do you hear me? I love him. I won’t let you do anything to hurt him. Stay away from him.”
“Laura, we’re both telling the truth. I won’t deny threatening him, and, though I’m sure you don’t approve, I did it to make sure he knows that if he doesn’t treat you right he’ll answer to me. But I didn’t have him beaten up. With all you’ve been through do you think I’d put you through that, too?”
“No, I honestly didn’t think you would. At least I’d hoped you wouldn’t. But it just seems like too much of a coincidence. I want to believe you,” she said. “I do.” She glared at her aunt, who sat quietly watching. “All right. Let’s leave this for now. I’m tired. I’m going home to get some sleep.”
She walked out without even looking at the cup of tea.
Chapter Twenty-One
When Laura stepped outside the next afternoon, the weather had changed. Heavy, gray clouds now loomed overhead, and it had been so windy during the night the sidewalk was littered with leaves and twigs. She walked toward Fifth Avenue where she hailed a taxi to the hospital.
She unbuttoned her coat as she got off the elevator on the fourth floor and walked past the nurses’ station to Erich’s room, hesitating to stare at a closed door across from Erich’s. Behind it she heard a woman sobbing, and almost cried herself. Only the loss of a loved one could cause that much pain. Laura knew that kind of pain. She had lost Todd; she had almost lost Erich.
Erich looked even worse this morning, covered with bruises and bandages. She handed him a box of chocolate-covered caramels and leaned in to kiss him. It was a gentle kiss, but more than a friendly peck. When she pulled away, he reached up and stroked her face with his left hand.
“You’ve never kissed me like that before. It’s worth getting beaten up for.”
“Don’t say that.”
“Well, all right. Almost worth it. You’re better for me than any of this stuff,” he said, gesturing at the hospital room. He patted the bed and she sat on the edge.
“I talked to Virginia last night,” said Laura. “I don’t think she had anything to do with what happened to you.”
“I’d rather have another kiss than talk about your aunt.”
Of course he would, but his attitude was frustrating. Laura wanted to explain. She wished he’d at least try to understand her feelings about Virginia.
For years Laura had been trying to convince people that Virginia’s work life had nothing to do with her personal life. A friend had once asked her if she approved of what Virginia did for a living, and she hadn’t been able to answer. She still wouldn’t be able to if she were asked today, but she had always been able to separate the loving aunt from the other. Now it was getting more difficult.
“Well, I think you need to find out who’s responsible,” she said.
“I will, Laura.”
“Did the doctor say when you could go home?”
“If I’m still alive in another week, the doctor will give me my walking papers. Unless I run away with the nurse before that.”
She raised her eyebrows at him. “You’d better not.”
“She’s going to be disappointed.” He winced as he tried to find a more comfortable position.
“Erich, I …” She hesitated, suddenly shy. “Last night when I thought you might die, I realized how much I care about you.” She avoided his eyes and played with the hem of the pillowcase instead. “I’m angry with myself and at you for the way I feel, but I can’t do anything about it.”
“I like the sound of that, except the angry part.”
“How else can you expect me to feel? My son is missing and I have no business getting involved with a man.” She got up and began buttoning her coat.
“Do you have to go already? I like to have you here so I know you’re safe.”
“I am safe. I’m just not sure how safe you are.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
A couple of weeks later, Laura sat outside, holding the Willa Cather novel she was reading, Death Comes for the Archbishop. She glanced up when she heard Erich walking toward her. They’d spent almost every day together since he’d left the hospital and she looked forward to every moment they shared. He was like no man she’d ever met before.
“Oh, there you are.” She stood up, book in hand. “I was starting to worry.”
He smiled and reached for the small cloth satchel she held.
“Are you sure you should be carrying things? What did the doctor say?”
He looked at the bag with its delicate floral print and chuckled. “He said I’ll live to be a hundred, and I can manage this pretty little thing.” He took her hand. “Must be something going on around here, because I had a real problem finding a place to park. I hope you don’t mind a bit of a walk.”
“On such a beautiful day? How could I mind?”
She felt her optimism soar as she walked hand in hand with Erich, enjoying the perfect day. When they found Todd, how would he react to the new man in her life? He’d need his father, obviously, but Phillip hadn’t needed Todd. A new film or a new woman had always been more important to Phillip. Erich could fill that void in her little boy’s life.
Erich chatted happily as he walked beside her, filling her in on what he’d been doing. “I interviewed those two French aviators yesterday and they were as sick as dogs. On Thursday they stood in the rain for hours posing for photographers. If I start sneezing or coughing, send me home.”
“If you say so. What was it like to interview them?”
“It was fine after we got an interpreter. They were so exhausted they fell asleep before it was over. I’m going to finish it on Monday.”
“Phillip and I took several airplane rides last year. I love flying. Have you done it yet?”
“No.”
“Oh, you must. The feeling of freedom is exhilarating. When I find the time, I’m going to take lessons and get my pilot’s license. Phillip didn’t want me to, but now that we’re separated I’m going to do what I want to do.”
On Tenth Street they discovered a dozen evangelists singing praises to God.
“Hallelujah, brother! Hallelujah, sister! Praise the Lord,” one woman called, then stretched out her hand. “A contribution for Jesus?”
Laura reached into her purse and produced a dollar bill. Even after Laura gave her the money, the woman continued to stare at her and Erich.
“I feel like a fool,” Laura said. “I hate that everyone knows what I look like.”
As they crossed the street, hand in hand, a woman walking two poodles bumped into them. The woman was only interested in Laura, so Erich got no help freeing himself from one of the leashes, which had wrapped around his ankles.
“Laura Austin, you poor thing. I pray for that beautiful little boy of yours every night.”
“How kind of you,” she said, wishing she could escape the woman’s attention. Her intention was well meant, but the woman was a complete stranger and Laura craved privacy. Phillip was the famous one.
Not all the streets in Manhattan were sunny. Further ahead they found a man selling apples. She took one and handed him a five dollar bill. Erich took another and gave him a dollar. The man thanked them with tears in his eyes. At the next corner two emaciated children in tattered clothes stood staring at passersby. Laura and Erich handed their apples to the children, and Laura folded several bills into the older child’s hand. The two looked up at them with blank expressions.
Laura looked at Erich. “Something has to be done. I’ve always wanted to take in a couple of foster children, but my selfish husband wouldn’t hear of it. Now I’d like to find a way to do it myself.”
“I’ll tell you this much. If this keeps up, Hoover can kiss the White House goodbye in a couple of years.”
“I think you may be right about that.”
“Things are going to get a lot worse before they get better.”
They eventually arrived at Erich’s parked car, then continued uptown in the green Buick. As they approached East 32nd Street, the sounds of construction made conversation difficult. At the corner, Erich stopped for a light and they craned their necks to get a better look at the city’s latest skyscraper, the EmpireStateBuilding. The building rose incredibly high, looming over what had been farmland a hundred years before.
“Never seen anything like it,” Erich said. “They say it will be a hundred and two stories high when it’s finished.”
“Look how high it is already. It’s amazing to see how much progress they’ve made since I was here in March. If you think about it, it’s just a pile of glass and steel. I hated it when the Flatiron Building when up, but at least it has some character.”
The light turned green and off they went. Laura looked back at the monstrous buildings and wondered if construction would keep advancing toward Fifth Avenue till these new buildings replaced even the quirky intimacy of her beloved Village.
Seafood restaurants dotted City Island Avenue. Looking at them all filled Laura with nostalgia. “This reminds me of the little town in Maine just north of Bar Harbor where we spent our summers. We had a cottage on a lake.”
“You and Austin?”
“No. Me, my parents and my sister.” She thought of her parents and the summers the family had spent in Maine. They’d gone boating and swimming, and bought lobsters in Blue Hill from an old man named Seth whose eyes were about as blue as Erich’s. She and Elaine never ate lobster because they didn’t like the way they smelled. Phillip had been trying to get her to eat it for years with no luck.
“Has Austin ever been there?”
“Are you kidding? It’s too rustic for him. No servants, you know. My sister and her husband still go every year for a couple of weeks.” She looked away. “I’d planned to take Todd this summer.”
He stopped for a light. “I don’t think I’ve heard you mention your family before.”
“My parents were killed when I was nine. Another car went through a stop sign and hit them head on.”
He glanced quickly at her, then focused on the road ahead. “How sad they never got to see you grow up. I’m sure they would have been proud.”
“Having Todd helped me understand what they felt for me and my sister. They would have been devastated by what’s happened, so in a way I’m glad they aren’t around.” She inhaled deeply then let her breath out. “My sister and I were lucky Virginia took us in and gave us a home.”
“She raised you?”
“Yes, and I’m sure it was difficult at first. She had no children of her own and wasn’t used to having two young girls around.”
“I guess she’s been good to you.”
They stopped at a diner and ate clam rolls, French fries and vanilla ice cream and laughed about how it could be called ‘homemade’ at a diner. After lunch they walked to Simpson’s boatyard on Beach Street and Erich asked her to wait while he went inside to speak to the owner.
She stretched her legs out in the sun, watching a couple of ducks cross the road. When Erich and a balding middle-aged man emerged from a rusted out trailer, Erich pointed to a twenty-five foot cabin cruiser bobbing in the water, all white save for a thin line of azure blue around the hull.
“When can we take it out?” she heard him say.
“Half an hour.”
They wandered the streets for a while, then turned the corner onto a tiny private beach.
“What do you think of this?”
She looked at him, his blue eyes searching hers, and she smiled, feeling more peaceful and tranquil than she had in ages. “It’s wonderful.”
“A few years ago I was looking for a place to fish and stumbled onto it by accident.”
They held hands, walking along the water’s edge until it was time to board the cabin cruiser.
Once they were in open water, Erich dropped anchor while Laura spread a blanket on deck. He lay on his side beside her, looking down at her, and it felt wonderful when he kissed her. She shivered when he pulled the top of her bathing suit down and caressed her breasts, but she felt warm and secure. He was a different kind of lover than Phillip. Her pleasure seemed as important to him as his own.
When the heat and the sun and their desire for each other became unbearable, they went below deck and showered, kissing passionately while water cascaded down their bodies. They took turns drying each other off, though she tried to hide her body with the towel at first. He took it from her.
“Don’t. You’re so lovely.”
They collapsed onto the cabin bed and made love with a kind of intensity Laura didn’t think existed. Afterwards they lay naked in each other’s arms, and she traced the outline of his face with her fingertips, noticing the yellow remnants of a bruise under one eye. He picked individual strands of her hair and held them up to the light.
“I love your hair. It’s like holding sunshine.”
Something raced through her chest. “Oh, boy,” she said. She was sure he felt her body stiffen, because he began gently stroking the tense muscles. She took another deep breath. “What am I doing here? Nobody’s ever made me feel the way you do. I wish I could be sure I’m making the right decision.”
“Shh. Stop worrying for once, Laura. I want to make you happy.” He stroked her hair and she closed her eyes. “Just be happy.”
She lay quietly, wishing the day would never end, waiting for the apprehension and worry to return, and finally drifting to sleep. When the sun filled the cabin with a rosy glow, she nudged Erich awake. Dusk was upon them, so he pulled in the anchor and they headed back to shore.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Are you still planning to go ahead with that crazy scheme?” Daniel asked a few days later.
Erich ran his hands over the stubble on his cheeks and smiled, thinking of Laura. She complained his beard scratched and wanted him to shave, but she’d have to put up with it for a while. Unfortunately, he had no intention of telling her the reason why he was growing a beard.
“I’m meeting Bill McCoy in Montauk tomorrow night. If anyone can give me information, he’s the one.”
“Why the hell are you willing to risk your life for this?” Daniel asked. “If they find out you aren’t who you say you are, your life won’t be worth a dime.”
While he’d been in the hospital recuperating from his injuries, Erich had decided to do something to find Todd. Something more substantial than reporting on the latest developments.
Since his initial interview with Laura and Phillip, he’d wondered if bootleggers might be responsible for the kidnapping. He hadn’t said a word to Laura about his suspicions. He hadn’t wanted to get her hopes up before he’d even begun to investigate. His first and only idea was to infiltrate the gang of bootleggers operating on the East End of Long Island. It took him weeks to come up with an idea and figure out the details. He knew it would be dangerous.
“The last guy they got suspicious of got three bullets in the head.” Peter slammed the door behind him. “Dan, get him to stop. Tell him you’ll fire him if he goes ahead with it.”
“No. I told him I’d help him out this time, and I will.” Dan turned to Erich. “But just this one time. If your work suffers one iota because of this, you’re out on your rear. Understand?”
“Such gentle, caring friends. If I don’t come in on Monday you’ll know I’m a lousy actor.”
“You’re a fucking jackass,” Peter snapped. “I asked around like you wanted. My brother-in-law and a neighbor are interested. They’ll take a few bottles off your hands, but I won’t have all the cash until next week.”
“As long as you’re sure they’ll come through.”
Daniel stood up. “Listen, Muller, be careful. Those guys don’t fool around. If you even begin to suspect they don’t believe you, get away from them.”
* * *
The drive to Montauk took four hours. It was ten o’clock when Erich pulled his rental truck into the parking lot and entered the main office of the Malibu Motel.
“Just one night?” The woman curled her lip. “Most people stay longer than that.”
“I’m here on business.” He looked out the window. “It is beautiful out here, though. I’ll be back.”
She handed him a key. “Don’t wait to make reservations. At this time of year we get booked up fast. You got lucky tonight.”
He left the motel and walked toward the beach, which was dotted by boats. The bootleggers called the Long Island coastline ‘Rum Row’, and William McCoy, the man he was meeting, was the most notorious and successful rumrunner of all. Instead of selling watered-down liquor, he sold quality stuff at fair prices. Erich hoped he’d be straight with him, too. He watched the schooner ease to shore. The man he assumed was McCoy stood on deck, leaning against the mast with one hand.
“You must be the new guy,” McCoy said. “Where did you say you were from?”
“Connecticut. Guilford, Connecticut, along the coast.” He hoped he sounded convincing.
McCoy jumped off the boat. “Never heard of it.”
“No? Well, you will. Lots of people up there want booze and don’t want anyone to tell them they can’t have it.”
McCoy laughed. “Amen to that. I didn’t catch your name.”
“Kohl. Hans Kohl.”
McCoy pointed to two small boxes. “The goods are over there. Gotta unload them by yourself. My guys don’t like to waste time on the small stuff.”
Erich picked up both boxes. “If business goes the way I expect it to, I’ll need more the next time.”
“You small time bootleggers are no match for guys like Schultz. You’ll be lucky if he doesn’t take you for a one-way ride.”
“I heard some guys plan to lay low for a while because the cops are too damn noisy for their own good.”
McCoy looked him up and down. “Whoever you heard that from was telling you a story.”
Erich laughed. “Yeah, right.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Virginia had grown weary of all the revelry at Bacchanal. She slipped out and headed toward the couch in her office so she could take a nap. About an hour later someone opened the door to deposit the mail onto her desk. She woke up when the door opened but didn’t open her eyes in time to see the visitor. She was glad whoever it was hadn’t spoken, because he wouldn’t have liked her response. It could have been Harry, and she really didn’t want to see him. He’d already voiced his concern about her bad mood and the fact that she never wanted to join in on the fun anymore. He was right, and she knew it was bad for business, but she was too angry with Rudy to care about Bacchanal.
Unable to sleep, she sat at her desk, pushed the mail aside and stared at the front page of the New York Daily News. After a few moments she took a good look at the headline, Police Find Few Clues in Double Homicide. The photo of the victims was front and center, and Virginia stared in shock. The black and white faces of Kevin Butler and his daughter stared back at her. She turned to page three and started to read the article, gasping when she learned the murders had taken place on the same day she’d been to the Butler apartment.
The only conclusion she could think of was that Rudy had been hiding somewhere and heard everything they’d said. After she’d left he’d shot them to death. But then why hadn’t Kevin given her some kind of sign to let her know something was wrong? Maybe Rudy hadn’t been there. Maybe he had just seen her leave the building and guessed why she was there, then shot them.
Had Todd suffered the same fate as the Butlers? No. She couldn’t let herself think that way. She had to find Rudy, but it wasn’t going to be easy. She needed all the help she could get. For the rest of the evening she made a list of all the friends Rudy had told her about, then studied the list, hoping one of the names could give her a clue as to where he might be.
He’d mentioned Dan Molloy to her in passing. When she’d pressed him, he’d explained that Molloy was in Sing Sing serving a ten to fifteen year sentence for armed robbery.
Virginia slumped at her desk, already feeling defeated. If a chest cold hadn’t sent him to a sickbed, Tony would have been at Bacchanal with her like he was on most nights, and she missed the attention he lavished on her. His phone must have rung a dozen times before he answered it.
“Were you sleeping, Tony?”
“Dead to the world. What’s on your mind, beautiful?”
“I need information about an inmate at Sing Sing by the name of Dan Molloy.”
“I’ll get one of my men on it and get back to you.”
“I’m on my way home now. Call me when you find out anything, no matter what time it is.”
At 5:15 a.m. she picked up the phone in her bedroom suite.
“Molloy’s served four years of a fifteen years sentence and is a model prisoner. A guy named Rudy Strauss fingered him. The cops knew Strauss was in on it too, but he testified for the prosecution and was given a suspended sentence. A crook and a snitch all rolled into one.”
“When did this happen?”
“The robbery? February 1926. Why are you so interested in this, Virginia?”
“It wouldn’t interest you,” she said and hung up.
As soon as she got off the phone, Virginia decided to visit Molloy in jail. The next morning she drove to Ossining. After about an hour in Sing Sing’s waiting room, Virginia followed a guard to another room and was ordered to strip. She was shocked. Did they think she’d be dumb enough to hide a weapon on her body?
When the body search was done, she was taken back to the waiting room. Another hour passed before the same guard escorted her into the visitor’s area and told her to sit behind a screen. A few minutes later the prisoner arrived, shackled and in handcuffs. It seemed excessive for a model prisoner who was in for grand larceny.
“Who the hell is she?” He looked at the guard. “Are you sure she’s here to see me?”
The guard shrugged.
Virginia leaned forward. “You don’t know me, Mr. Molloy, but there’s someone we both … Well, let’s say the information I need could benefit both of us.”
She couldn’t tell him why she had to find Rudy, but he deserved some sort of explanation. She just wasn’t sure what that would be.
He leaned back in his chair. “Don’t know anybody. In here you got to watch your back every second.”
This wasn’t going to be easy. “I can imagine. The man I’m looking for is a friend of yours from the outside.”
He threw back his head and laughed, then set cold, gray eyes on her face. She wondered if she could trust him. He’d been Rudy’s friend, and Rudy was a talented liar. She had no idea if Molloy was as well, but she had no choice but to follow through with her plan.
“Think about it, Mr. Molloy.”
He turned to the guard. “How about a smoke?”
The guard lit a cigarette and put it between his fingers.
Molloy inhaled, long and deep, then blew the smoke straight up. “I got so much time to think I’m damn sick of it. I don’t want to think and I don’t want to play games. What do you want?”
“What makes you think I want anything from you? Maybe I’m here to help you,” she said, trying to sound convincing, though even she didn’t believe that.
“Who are you, Santa Claus? Stop wasting my time. I got a beautiful woman waiting for me back in my cell.”
“Rudy Strauss.”
Molloy’s lips tightened into a thin line and his eyes darkened. “That bastard. When I get out of here his good times will end.”
“He was the trigger man, but you took the rap for him, didn’t you?”
He narrowed his eyes. “He’d be dead if that was true.”
“You’re lying to me.” She smiled. “I also know he’s been looking for the big touch and not long ago he found it.”
“Did he send you?”
“No one sends me anywhere. I came here to tell you Strauss is going to pay, and he’s going to pay big time. I’ll see to that.” She looked him in the eye. “I hope that makes you happy.”
“There’s no such thing in here.”
“I need to know if he’s been in touch with you.”
“What’s in it for me besides happiness?”
“I have some influential friends. Just try to be patient.”
Molloy tapped his fingers on the table, thinking, then he took another drag of his cigarette. “A friend of his wrote me with some bad news.” He snickered. “Then again, maybe it’s good news. One of Capone’s thugs shot Strauss.”
It couldn’t be. If this were true, how would she find Todd?
Molloy continued. “Strauss had planned to go to Detroit to join the Purple Gang in their poker game. Guess he never made it.”
“He’s dead?”
“It’s a sad story, ain’t it?’
Fear slithered down her spine. “It could turn out to be a lot sadder than you could imagine.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
The card game had been going on for seven hours. A single lightbulb hung from the ceiling and two bottles of whiskey, one empty and one half full sat on the round, wooden table. Virginia thought it looked like a gangster movie set. She concentrated on not laughing.
The man to her right turned to her. “You in?”
“I’m up four hundred dollars. What do you think?” She looked at the cards in her hand and decided to stay in the game, even though she had nothing. Money meant nothing to her, and information about Rudy was worth whatever she lost.
She placed her hand facedown on the table and studied each man, wondering if any of them would tell her the truth. It was becoming clear that in the circles Rudy traveled, it would be difficult to find anyone to trust.
“I heard someone won big here last week,” said Virginia.
“What rat you been talking to?” asked a guy the others called Rossi.
She sniffed with disdain. “I make it my business not to talk to rats. They carry all kinds of diseases.” By the look on his face, she knew he hadn’t understood a word she’d said. Virginia glared at him. “I know what I heard. Last week a new guy sat in on the game and lost thousands.”
Rossi tossed his cards onto the table. “Game’s over.”
He motioned toward Virginia and she followed him into an adjoining room where a large man stood up and pointed a gun at her. Rossi dismissed the fat man with a casual wave of his hand.
“Bigboy would do anything for me, Virginia. Even kill someone. Now. It’s time you tell me what you’re up to.”
“It’s a shame I don’t have a killing machine of my own.” She smiled. “I need information about the guy who played here last week.”
“There was no game last week.”
She sighed. “Bullshit. This is a running poker game, four nights a week, and even if one of you dropped dead the others would play. You had another player last week and I want to know what he said and did.”
“Why are you so interested in a boring poker game?”
“It couldn’t have been boring to whoever won this guy’s money.”
“Can’t help you.”
“No? You know I’m going to find him, with or without your help. Remember, I never forget a favor.”
She watched the thought sink in and decided it was time to let him know how important it was to her.
“He may know something about my nephew’s kidnapping.”
“That punk.”
“Is your memory improving?”
“He was going to Houston to see about a horse. That’s all I know.”
She took the gun out of her handbag and aimed it at his chest. “You sure?”
“Jesus, Virginia. Put that thing away. You can ask the other guys and they’ll tell you the same thing. He said he was going to Texas to bet on a horse he knew. Claimed it was a sure thing.”
Rudy hadn’t changed. A million dollars or ten million dollars, he’d never have enough.
***
The temperature in Houston, Texas was about a hundred and ten degrees, with a humidity that settled like a layer of wet towels. By the time she got to the racetrack, Virginia felt like she might pass out. The man in the front office brought her a glass of iced water and told her to sit down. Manhattan was hot, but Texas felt like hell.
Virginia drank the water and asked for another glass. “I called last week,” she said.
“Mike’s at the stables taking care of his new foal.”
She finished the glass of water and stood up. “Thanks. That helped.”
He took a sun hat from a hook by the door. “Here. This will help, too.”
The man she’d come to see was feeding oats to a chestnut foal whose spindly legs looked as wobbly as she felt. She could tell by the way he was looking at the horse that he loved animals. Personally, she thought the thing stank.
“Beautiful thing, a newborn foal,” he said.
“I’m not much for animals, but I can see what you mean.”
And she accused other people of lying.
He took a brush and stroked the foal’s mane. “Are you here about Strauss?”
“So you know him?”
Mike had lived in New Jersey until a few years earlier. He and Rudy had been good friends, even though Rudy was always borrowing money from him. Then one day Mike hit it big at the racetrack and bought a ranch in Texas.
“How do you know Strauss?” he asked.
“He did some work for me.”
“Good thing you put that in the past tense. You’re better off without him.”
“You aren’t telling me anything I don’t already know. Is he still around here?”
He laughed. “No way. He got roughed up pretty bad.”
“Roughed up? Someone told me he was dead.”
“That wouldn’t surprise me. He showed up here with some money. Don’t know how he got a hold of so much, but he had it and wanted to show off, I guess. Paid me back some I’d pretty much forgotten he owed me. But a couple of guys who weren’t as forgetful as I was followed him here from Detroit to collect what he owed them. With interest.”
“How bad was it?”
“I’m not sure if he made it. He should have gone to the hospital, but he refused. Couldn’t understand that.”
“When did this happen?”
“Yesterday. I’m on my way to see him now. Do you want to come with me?”
She couldn’t believe her luck. But her anticipation was held back by one thought: why hadn’t Mike mentioned a child?
Chapter Twenty-Six
Virginia followed Mike out of the stables and down a dirt path to his brand new Lincoln. He opened the door for her and she climbed in, winding her window all the way down. The people they passed seemed happy and had a spring in their steps, giving Virginia the impression Houston was an exciting place. If only it weren’t so damn hot.
Mike made a right turn onto 27th Street and a left onto Avenue N and drove a mile until stopping in front of the Charles Adams House. He parked and they both stared up at the building.
“Pretty ritzy, isn’t it?” he asked.
“That bum sure has come up in the world.” She stepped out of the car and moved toward the door. “Come on. I’m kind of anxious to see him.”
“So am I. And I can’t wait to see the look on his face when he sees you.” Mike chuckled as he opened the hotel door for her. “This should be interesting.”
They approached the front desk and the clerk smiled. “Good day,” he said.
“Hello. I hope you can help us. A friend of ours is staying in Suite 221, and I think he needs help. He wasn’t feeling well yesterday,” Virginia said, flashing her biggest doe eyes. “If you’ll just give us a key to his room …”
The clerk frowned. “Why don’t I call him and tell him you’re here?”
“I tried calling him before I left my house and there was no answer,” Virginia said. “We’re both worried about him.”
Mike took her arm and they walked toward the elevator. The clerk followed, rattling a key. When they arrived, he stuck the key in the lock of Suite 221 and turned it, but just before the door opened Virginia took a deep breath. This was a big moment. Not only was she about to confront Rudy, she was also about to learn what had happened to Todd. In a short time the little boy might be in her arms again. A swell of emotion went through her and she shivered. Mike looked at her but didn’t say anything.
They stepped into the room and all three gasped. The place was in shambles. The bedspread was soaked with blood and ripped into pieces. The mattress had been dragged onto the floor and cut open, the stuffing strewn around the room. One of the bedside table lamps had been broken and lay next to the radiator. The other one had been smeared by a bloody handprint.
“I have to get the manager.” The clerk said quickly and slipped out of the room.
“He looked scared to death,” Mike commented.
They checked the bathroom. “Rudy’s not here,” said Virginia. “Damn!”
Mike shook his head. “I don’t understand how he could have gotten out of here. They must have come back and finished the job.”
She glanced at him, then opened the top dresser drawer to see if Rudy had left anything behind. She didn’t find anything until she looked under the bed. There she saw the gleam of a gold card. She recognized it as one folks used to gain entrance to Bacchanal until she’d discontinued them at the end of last year. Had someone gotten word to Rudy that she was looking for him?
“Hey! There he is!” Mike cried, banging on the window while he struggled to open it. “He’s getting into a taxi.”
She spun around. “What? Stay here and keep trying to get his attention.” She threw off her heels and dashed out of the room in her stocking feet. The cab had just pulled away when she got down to the lobby.
Mike met her at the front desk, carrying her shoes. The manager didn’t look happy. “What do you know about the man in suite 221?” he demanded.
“He just left in a taxi,” said Virginia. “I need to know where he’s going.”
The manager snapped. “Yeah? Well, I need to know who’s going to pay his bill.”
He pushed a stack of papers toward Virginia. She picked them up, inspected them, then tore them into pieces and flung them in the manager’s face. “I don’t give a damn who pays them. You can pay them for all I care.” She turned to Mike. “We should have followed him in your car.”
“I doubt that would have done much good. He took off pretty quick.”
They left the building, ignoring the manager’s ranting. He followed them outside, waving wildly at them, but Mike had already started the car. She couldn’t have cared less about Rudy’s hotel bill. She had other priorities.
There had been no sign of a child in that room.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Phillip was sitting in his trailer trying to cool off, but perspiration dripped off his face. That morning the temperature had reached ninety-seven degrees in WashingtonD.C., making it the hottest May 26th in the city’s history. Phillip was certain that by now it was over a hundred degrees. The bustling capital moved languidly amidst the waves of heat.
He removed his shirt and went back to reading the script, which had already gone through at least a dozen rewrites. It still needed work. The screenwriters he’d worked with on his last two films had no idea how to write good dialogue, and he’d rewritten many of his own lines. What disgusted him more than anything was the fact that this was only the second day of filming. He saw nothing but problems ahead until the filming was completed.
A couple of hours later Phillip received word that Louis B. Mayer wanted to see him. It didn’t take him long to figure out why. Ever since Phillip had separated from Laura, Mayer had been warning him his philandering was getting out of hand. He’d told Phillip if the studio had to pay for one more abortion, they wouldn’t renew his contract. Phillip hadn’t paid attention to such foolishness. He had the right to live his life they way he chose. The studio also claimed his last three movies had lost money, which he didn’t believe. He figured that was just a ploy to get him to behave. Women loved him. They dragged their husbands and boyfriend to all his movies. As far as he was concerned, MGM owed him money, and when it came time to renew his contract he’d ask for twice as much as he was getting now.
Today’s message from Mayer was curt and to the point: Phillip was to come to the old man’s office during lunch break. No ifs, ands, or buts.
***
Phillip arrived ahead of schedule and waited half an hour before being called into the office. Old L.B. was nowhere in sight. All Phillip saw was some kid trying to look important.
“Mr. Austin, thank you for coming.”
“I thought I’d see the man himself.”
The upstart grinned. “Mr. Mayer is too busy to attend to minor details. That’s what he hired me for.”
Louis B. Mayer was busy counting his money. That’s what this was all about. He was afraid one of his pictures might not make enough to keep his wife and mistress in diamonds. Phillip struggled between relief and irritation. If the old man hadn’t come to the meeting himself, it couldn’t be that important. But he hated to have to sit and listen to this kid.
“Let’s get this out of the way so I can go back to learning my lines.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Austin. It’s not quite that simple. Mr. Mayer is quite upset with you.”
“Why?”
“The fact is, your reputation has gotten out of hand. Mr. Mayer says something has to be done about it.”
“What are you talking about?”
The kid smiled blandly and held out his hands, palms up. “Too many allegations about you and this starlet,” he said, lowering one palm then the other as if using a scale, “or that model. A few rumors can be squelched, but when they’re in the dozens there isn’t much we can do.”
Phillip laughed companionably. “What would you do in my position? They throw themselves at me.”
“This has to do with your fans, the people who go to your movies and pay for the opulent lifestyle to which you’re accustomed.” He opened the top desk drawer and took out a sheet of paper. “Your last two movies lost money.”
He held out the sheet, and Phillip took it from him. “Numbers don’t mean anything,” Phillip spat. He tossed the paper onto the desk. “How do I know these haven’t been tampered with? I’m still the biggest star in Hollywood.”
“Not any longer. Your popularity has been dropping since you separated from your wife.”
“What’s Laura got to do with all this?”
“There was a lot of sympathy toward you when your son was first kidnapped, but that stopped when you and your wife didn’t reconcile. There’s a rumor some people may picket the opening of your next film.”
“Bunch of crackpots.”
“The public likes unblemished heroes, not ones who cheat on the young, beautiful mothers of their kidnapped children. They don’t expect you to find your son by yourself, most of them anyway, but our information suggests they’d feel a whole lot better about you if you went back to his mother.”
Phillip frowned at him. “So ... so I go back to Laura and everything’s fine?”
He could think of worse things. Give the people what they want. Laura was beautiful and looked great on his arm, and though she pretended to be hurt by his affairs, he didn’t think she cared much about what he did anymore. Besides, she had Erich Muller to keep her happy now. It could work out fine for both of them.
The young man pulled the papers back and tapped them into a neat stack. “That’s about it. Otherwise we may have to release you from your contract after you fulfill the three picture deal you have with us.”